A blog by Steve Malchow

Day: September 16, 2013

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Make somebody miss… win a one-on-one battle in the trenches… catch the ball in traffic… bust a double team… pick off a pass…

Those are things that playmakers do. Iowa State is in search of playmakers.

Despite its frustrating Saturday night loss to an in-state rival, the Cyclones saw the emergence of two such playmakers.

Receiver Quenton Bundrage registered six catches for 146 yards and all three ISU touchdowns. On his 67-yard score, he showed a “make somebody miss” move.

“He’s one guy that I thought could be our ‘go to’ receiver,” Head Coach Paul Rhoads said. “We haven’t had those types of explosive plays in a game in four years and two games. Hopefully, that’s a start to a piece that this offense has been sorely lacking.”

Where Bundrage was touted as that type of playmaker in camp, the emergence of defensive tackle David Irving was more surprising.

Irving has been at his current position just over three weeks (moving from end) and his five-tackle performance included multiple plays in the opponent’s backfield, a forced fumble and a tipped pass.

“(He) started to stand out,” Rhoads said of his 6-7 junior. “A true third-year player in a position he’s never been (at) in his life. The glimpses you saw of David will continue as we go along.”

On a night when the win-loss ledger leaned the wrong way, it was a flicker of light to see the emergence of Bundrage and Irving.

That duo should have more confidence going forward and, perhaps, it’s also setting an expectation and realization that others can step into the playmaking role, too.